A New Orleans Saints Player as Your Substitute Teacher?

When you were in elementary, junior, or high school and became aware that a substitute teacher would be filling in for your class that day, what type of student were you? Did you offer to help him or her remember all of the students’ names? Did you goof off and not pay attention to the stranger standing at the front of the room? Were you one of those kids who was intent on causing as much trouble as possible because you knew you could get away with it? You may have regarded those days as “free days” because it was doubtful you would learn anything from this random person. What if you had walked into your gym class and instead of your regular phys ed instructor, an NFL player walked into the classroom?

As sports fans, we likely imagine that a professional athlete’s life consists of nothing except training, playing, and endorsing. This may be true for the months of actual game play but what about in the offseason? Of course, there’s a daily trip to the gym to maintain their physique but that doesn’t sell tickets for people to sit and watch. When they aren’t being paid to dress in their uniforms and run up and down a field, these men and women have to make a living like everyone else. Aside from hosting football camps, players and coaches take other jobs within their sports sometimes due to termination or end of their contract. However, could you picture any of them teaching you algebra, geography, or biology? For some athletes, substitute teaching pays the bills until they are called up to attend their team’s training camp.  

While on break from his team, the New Orleans Saints, Mr. Anfernee Orji has been in his hometown of Rockwall, Texas, substitute teaching for the Rockwall Independent School District. This is a great opportunity for him to be a role model for these children not only to strengthen their bodies in the gym but also their minds from behind a desk. During his recent season as a reserve linebacker for the Saints, Orji started two of the 16 games he played. He would end the 2024 season by making 16 solo tackles and assisting in 14 tackles for a combined 30 tackles or an average of around two per game. Before starting his career with the Saints, he played for Vanderbilt after accepting a football scholarship. He played as a safety during his freshman and sophomore years and finished as a linebacker for his junior and senior years. He graduated with a degree in Communication Science and Technology.